Car-wheel



(No Model.)

H. W. LIBBEY.

GAR WHEEL.

No. 401,504. Patented Apr. 16, 18.89.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IOSEA IV. LIBBEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-WH EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,504, dated April 16, 1889.

Application filed August 8, 1888- Serial No. 282,229 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOSEA W. LIBBEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CanW'heels, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a wheel for steam or street railroad cars in which the friction between the flange of the wheel and the rail will be reduced to a minimum, especially when passing around curves.

The invention consists of a loose ring let into the flange of the wheel and supported by friction-rollers so that when the flange of the wheel comes into contact with the rail the loose ring is free to turn, thereby reducing the friction, as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a car-wheel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section through the wheel, taken on line 00 m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View of the inner face of the flange, showing the recesses for the friction-rollers and loose ring. Fig. 4 is a view of theinner face of the portion of the wheel forming the tread, showing the recesses for the friction-rollers. Fig. 5 is a detail view drawn on a larger scale.

In constructing a wheel according to my. invention, I make the wheel in two parts viz., one portion for the tread and another for the flange-and these are secured together by bolts after friction-rollers and a loose ring have been placed in position.

A represents the tread portion of the wheel, and B the flange portion. In the inner face of the portion B, I form a recess, 0, (see Fig. 3,) all round, of the required width and depth to receive the loose ring D; and in this recess, at suitable intervals, I form radial recesses E, to receive the friction-rollers F. These recesses E are at their ends of a depth equal to the diameter of the friction-rollers F, and the central portion is somewhat deeper, so that the rollers F are supported at their ends only, and the ends of the rollers are formed rounding, so that their ends rest on one point only, thereby preventing any undue friction. The

inner face of the tread portion is also provided with a series of radial recesses, G, into which are placed friction-rollers H, the recesses and friction-rollers being formed as described with reference to the recesses E and rollers F. After the friction-rollers F have been placed in position in the flange portion B, the loose ring D is placed upon them in the recess 0. The rollers II are then placed in the tread portion A, and the partsA B are placed together and secured by bolts J. It will be seen that when the parts A B are thus connected together that the ring D projects down below the tread of the wheel and almost flush with the inner face of the flange, so that as the loose ring D comes into contact with the rail it is free to turn, thereby preventing the friction that is now caused by the flange in wheels of ordinary construct-ion.

What I claim as my invention isl. A car-wheel made in two parts bolted together, with a loose ring in the flange, which projects below the tread of the wheel and is held in posit-ion by means of friction-rollers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A car-wheel consisting of the tread portion A and flange portion B, bolted together, in combination with the loose ring D and friction-rollers E II, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a car-wheel, the tread portion A, provided on its inner face with radial recesses G and-friction-rollers H, in combination with the flange portion B, provided on its inner face with a circular recess, 0, and radial recesses E, friction-rollers F, and a loose ring,

D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

'4. In a car-wheel, a loose ring mounted in the flange of the wheel so that when it comes into contact with the rail the ring is free to rotate independently of the wheel, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 28th day of July, A. D. 1888.

I-IOSEA IV. LIBBEY.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. STEERE, E. PLANTA. 

